“Somewhere there’s an unhappy organ missing its pipes,” one wag quipped at the ribbon cutting for the new The Opus Westchester hotel in White Plains Wednesday, May 26. The joke was a reference to the pipe organ décor – a further reference to the hotel’s musical name – in the teal and earth-toned Lobby Lounge by Manhattan-based Celano Design Studio, which has transformed the more traditional interior of the former Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester into a more accessible, mid-century modern space. The hotel, part of Marriott’s upscale boutique Autograph Collection but managed by Fairfax, Virginia-based Crescent Hotels & Resorts, has 146 rooms, including 38 suites, a heated indoor pool in a glass-enclosed area; 10,000 square feet of banquet space on the second floor and the rooftop Kanopi restaurant, where the airier design takes advantage of the on-a-clear-day-you-can-see-forever (or at least as far as Manhattan) views and adds some playful touches. A bust of Shakespeare watches over the kitchen where the estimable Anthony Gonçalves – formerly of 42 The Restaurant in that space – is still at the helm. And on each table sits a miniature version of “Balloon Dog,” after the Jeff Koons’ sculpture, in a vibrant color – signaling Opus’ fun side.
That was on display at the preview – in the informal tours; in the savory hors d’oeuvres, which included a flavorful cerviche, a mild duck paté with a tantalizingly sweet tomato topping and a crab, watermelon and cucumber creation, washed down by Champagne and mimosas; and in General Manager Elizabeth Andrews calling everyone to attention for brief remarks by sounding three singing bowls, which again underscored the hotel’s musical motif and which will be part of the hotel’s forthcoming spa.
Ah, spa: Did we hear “staycation,” anyone?
For more, visit https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycap-the-opus-westchester-autograph-collection/. And look for more on The Opus in WAG’s July issue.
